1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to driver safety devices on industrial trucks, and more particularly to restraint devices for drivers of industrial trucks wherein the driver's cab is at least partially open.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Industrial trucks, such as fork-lift trucks, are usually manufactured and operated with at least a partially open driver's cab. The reasons are that closed driver's cabs are unnecessary because industrial trucks are predominantly used under cover in at least partially enclosed buildings and that closed driver's cabs are undesirable since they hinder ingress and egress to and from the driving position and impair the driver's field of view.
However, in the case of industrial trucks with at least a partially open driver's cab, there is a problem in that if the truck tips sideways, the driver can fall out of the cab and be trapped between the truck and the ground. Quite often, accidents of this kind are serious or even fatal for the driver. The most important factors which cause tipping of an industrial truck are cornering too rapidly, failure to lower the load when driving, and driving over or into obstructions.
Known driver restraint systems are only partially suitable for preventing a driver from falling out of the driver's cab if an industrial truck tips over. These driver restraint systems consist of the combination of a safety belt and fixed restraint arms disposed on both sides of the driver. However, in practical use, such a driver restraint system has serious drawbacks. The safety belt is an impediment to the driver when getting on and off the truck, so that often the belt is not worn, in which case the protective effect of the restraint system is eliminated. In addition, fixed restraint arms restrict the freedom of movement of the driver, e.g., the freedom to turn around when reversing the truck, and restrict the driver's field of view.
An object of the present invention is to provide a driver restraint device for an industrial truck having a partially open driver's cab which prevents the driver from falling out of the cab if the industrial truck tips over, but does not impede the driver's movements and does not restrict the driver's field of view.